Pen construction



Aug. 12, A. W. MAGER PEN CONSTRUCTION Filed Au 10, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. flfexazzder W%qyer BY ATTORNEY.

Aug. 12, 1941. A, w, MAGYER PEN CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 10,1939

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Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alexander W. Mager, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Bussey Pen Products'Company, Chicago, 111.,

a corporation of Illinois Application August 10, 1939, Serial No. 289,363

Claims. (Cl. 119-17) This invention relates to improvements in pen 1 construction.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved side wall construction for pens of the type employed for young chickens, for example. The improved side wall constitutes a unitary structural element or panel and one to four of the same may be employed as side walls of a pen to provide on such sides the advantages of the present improvements.

In pens of the type mentioned as heretofore constructed, one or more of the four side walls generally have been provided with hinged doors or gates to provide access to the pens, such doors swinging outwardly in some instances and inwardly in others. Such doors usually have been substantially co-extensive with the length of the sides of the pens and when opened, as for the removal of a. dead or ailing chick for example, the aperture thereby provided has enabled other chicks to escape to the annoyance of the attendant. It is an object of the present improvement to provide a closure member having sliding gates of novel and economical construction which can be opened the extent desired by the attendant in providing access to the pen and thus avoid the annoyance caused by the escape of chicks from the pen, and without altering the adjusted position of the closure member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a side wall construction adapted to cooperate with a vertically adjustable feed trough to prevent chicks from entering the trough bodily, but which provides an accessible feeding space which is increased as the trough is adjusted upwardly. By means of the present arrangement, as the chicks increase in size the trough may be elevated to reduce the billing of food from the trough and upon such elevation the feeding space is increased to accommodate access to the trough by the larger chicks. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable fabricated side wall for a pen provided with an automatically adjustable antibilling grill which effectually prevents the chicks from billing orthrowing food from an associated trough regardless of the position of vertical adjustment of the trough and of the quantity of food therein. 7

Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the V following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a pen embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a broken top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 illustrating a food trough in the lowermost position, a supply of food therein, and an adjustable closure member and anti-billing grill in correlative position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating less food in the trough and the anti-billing grill in correspondingly lowered position;

I Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating the trough in an elevated position;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a detached fabricated closure member comprising the sliding gates and the anti-billing grill above mentioned.

, A pen for young chicks may have its side walls formed of four of the improved side wall structures if desired or less than four of such structures may be employed if desired, in which instance the remaining side walls may be formed of wire screen or be otherwise constructed as preferred. Pens of this general type are generally formed for arrangement in batteries, that is in stacks or tiers for effecting economy in floorspace and for the convenience of attendants in caring for the chicks. The pen fragmentarily illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises three of the improved side Walls while the fourth, not shown, may be of similar construction or merely a screen panel closure, as where the battery is to be placed against a wall or in proximity to another like battery.

The improved side walls each comprise a metal fabricated frame 9 comprising a pair of Vertical end angle members 10 and II, an upper transverse angle member 12 and a lower sheet metal transverse member 13 which are secured together by any approved means, as by spot welding the same at the corners where one member overlies another. Tothe rear surface of the base member I3 an angle member I4 is secured for supporting one edge ofa wire screen floor [5. The lower edge of the base frame member l3 maybe turned inwardly to provide a supporting flange 16 for a droppings pan H which is located beneath the screen floor IS. A top closure memher [8 when required may be secured to the inwardly directed flange of the upper transverse frame member l2 as illustrated in Fig. 3. The adjacentvertical angle members It] and H of contiguous wall members may be attached together by any suitablemeans.

The frame formed by members It), H, 12 and. I3 provides an opening which is closed by a closure member illustrated in detached relation in Fig. 6 and indicated generally by the numeral l 3. This member is fabricated preferably of wire and comprises a U-shaped member 20 terminating in hooks 2| which may be inserted in apertures 22 in frame member l2 for removably and adjustably supporting the closure member in position.

A pair of horizontal wires 23 and 24 is secured, as by welding, to the U-shaped member 20, the spacing being such as to prevent the escape of chicks therebetween. To the upper wire 23., the ends 25a of a U-shaped wire 25 are welded. The wire 25 and an upper transverse wire 26 which is welded to the legs 29a of the U-shaped wire 20 constitute guides or tracks for a pair of sliding gates indicated by the numerals 2! and'28. The

gates of each pair are identical in construction and each comprises a pair of vertical wire members 29 having the ends bent to form upper-and lower eyes 29a which slidably engage the tracks 26 and 25, respectively. Wires 30 to 35, inclusive, are welded to the eye wires 28 to form the body of the respective gates, the upper and lower wires 30 and 35 preferably being integral and providing a U-shaped handle 35 at the opposite ends of the closure member. 'The wires 30 to 35 may be secured together intermediate their ends by'a short brace 31 as illustrated. The track members 25 and 25 are likewise connected intermediate the ends'thereof by a vertical brace wire 38 which constitutes a stop for limiting the the ends of the gates in overlapping position and with the inner wire 29 of gate 21 arranged to the right (as viewed in Fig. 6) of the wire 29 of gate 28,. This arrangement enables'the guides to accommodate both gates, avoids the obstruction of one gate by the other, and provides an economically fabricated structure.

Pivotally attached to a horizontal wire, such as wire 24,-is an anti-billing 'grill indicated generally by the numeral 39. This grill is of wire construction and comprises a U-shaped wire 40 provided with eyes 4! by means of which the grill is pivotally secured to the wire 24, and cross wires 42 to 43. Intermediate the ends of the grill a brace 44 is provided which is of loop form and constitutes a deflecting member for the purpose hereinafter described.

7 Each side wall structure is provided with a sheet metal feed trough indicated generally by the numeral 45 and comprising end walls 46, 46.

the upper rolled edges of which are, provided may be inserted for supporting the trough 45 at 7'5- different elevations, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Due to the support of the closure member l9 by the hooks 2!, the member is swingable outwardly from the plane of the frame 9 as to any of the positions indicated in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive. When the trough is in the lower position shown in Fig. 3, and the trough is substantially filled with food, as illustrated, the grill 39 is supported by the food. The longitudinal wires are spaced part adequately to enable the chick to pick the food between the wires. If the loop shaped defleeting member 44 rests on the inclined lip 48a when the trough is filled or nearly filled with food, the grill will, due to its weight, cause the loop to slide from the lip as the level of the food recedes during consumption. The grill thus continues to rest on the surface of the food until the level thereof has been substantially reduced, as to the level shown in Fig. 4. Hence when the level of the food is high, the chicks must pick the food between the grill bars or wires and cannot'bill the food inwardly and throw it from the trough. As the food level recedes the grill will swing by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the chicks may pick food from the forward portion of the trough through the grill bars or from the rear portion of the trough at the rear of the grill bars. When eating from the latter mentioned portion of the trough, however, it will be seen that the lip 48a and the lower level of the food as shown in Fig. 4 effectually prevent billing food from the trough. Since the lower end of the grill 39 rests on the food, it prevents the closure member H! from swinging inwardly and shutting off access to the food until the food is practically exhausted.

When the chicks have increased to a given size the trough can be raised by engaging the hooks in an upper pair of apertures 50, as shown in Fig. 5. In this figure, it will be noted that a pair of ears or abutments 5i, secured to the members 20a, engage the upper inclined edges of the end walls 45 of the trough and retain the closure member l9 in position affording a larger passage between the lip 48a and the gates 21 and 29 for accommodating the heads of the larger chicks. When the trough is in the elevated position, the closure member l9 cannot be swung outwardly beyond the position wherein the wire 20 engages the flange 49a.. Elevating the trough also, raises the lip 48 a greater distance from the floor 15 and thus reduces the losses of food from the trough by the billing action of the chicks. While the feeding space is adequate for feeding purposes, the position of the gates with respect to thelip 48a discourages or prevents the chicks from entering the trough and bespoiling the food.

The troughs can be replenished with food by pouring the same into the trough and then swinging the closure member counterclockwise, as viewed'in Figs. 3 to 5, to cause the grill to assume its'position on the upper surface of the food. However, the trough canbe filled more readily by removingit from the frame 9 by disengaging the hooks 41 and then scooping food into the trough froma larger food container. When the trough is removed, the closure member 19 swings by gravity to substantially vertical position and prevents the escape of chicks. By moving the filled trough 'upwardlyto cause the lip 48a to engage the deflecting member 44, the latter swings the grill into the trough against the surface of the food therein and the closure member automatithe flange 49a constitutes a stop directly limiting excessive outward movement of the closure member.

It will be noted that the gates 21 and 28 can slide on their tracks independently to provide access to the pen through the closure member, as illustrated in Fig. 1, without altering the angular position of the closure member. One or two openings of the size required for the insertion of one or both arms of the attendant can be provided for removing chicks for inspection or treatment without likelihood of other chicks escaping, as will be apparent.

While I have shown and described an embodiment of the improvements for the purpose of i1- lustration, it will be apparent that various changes in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a pen of the class described, a side wall comprising a frame defining an aperture, said frame being provided with a plurality of hook receiving recesses for supporting a food trough at different elevations on the exterior of the frame adjacent the aperture, a trough provided with hooks receivable in certain of said recesses for supporting said trough at selected elevations, said trough having a rear wall, a closure member pivotally secured to the frame adjacent the upper portion of the aperture and swingable outwardly about the pivotal axis to provide a space between r the upper edge of said rear wall and said closure member to provide feeding access to .the trough, and means carried by said closure member for engaging said trough when the latter is elevated to any higher position for moving said closure member to a different angular position providing an enlarged space between the rear wall of the trough and said closure member.

2. A side wall for a pen comprising a frame defining a feeding aperture, a closure member for said aperture pivotally secured to said frame and adapted to hang pendant over said aperture, a deflecting member on the lower portion of said closure member, and a trough having a rear wall and frame engageable supporting means said rear wall having a member adapted to engage said deflector member for causing said closure member to swing outwardly over said trough to provide access to the food therein as said trough is moved upwardly along said frame into supporting engagement therewith.

3. In a pen construction comprising a vertical side wall provided with a feeding opening, a closure member hingedly attached to the outside of said wall above the opening and adapted to hang pendant over the opening to close the same, a feed trough provided with a rear wall having an inclined portion and with means for removably attaching the trough to said wall adjacent the lower portion of the opening, and deflecting means on the closure member adapted to be engaged by said inclined portion .of the trough as the latter is moved upwardly toward attaching position for swinging the closure member outwardly with respect to the wall to provide access to the trough through said opening.

4. In a pen of the class described a side wall provided with a horizontal feeding aperture, a trough provided with front and rear walls, means for supporting the trough on the exterior of the side wall with the upper edge of the trough disposed along the lower portion of said aperture, a swingable closure member for the aperture pivotally secured at the upper edge thereof to said pen side wall and having a lower edge thereof disposed in said trough between the rear and front walls thereof and limited in its outward swinging movement by said front wall, and an anti-billing grill pivotally secured to said closure member and adapted to rest on the food in the trough to retain said closure member in an outwardly swung position to provide between the closure member and said rear wall access to the food in the trough.

5. In a pen of the class described a side wallprovided with a feeding opening, a feed trough on the exterior of said wall adjacent said opening, a closure member for the opening pivotally attached to said wall at points above said opening and arranged to be swung outwardly from said wall to provide access to said trough, and a grill pivotally attached to the lower portion of said closure member and adapted to be supported in an inclined position by food in the trough and arranged to prevent inward billing of food from the trough and to retain said closure member in an outwardly swung position.

ALEXANDER W. MAGER. 

